Elements of culture of war

• Power based on force / Belief that violence works Military training

• Enemy images/ Intolerance and prejudice against people who are different

• Sense of patriotism / Religious intolerance (suspicion and fear)

• Nature of governance / Corruption / Obedience to orders from the top down (subservience and fear)

• Nature of society and social hierarchy

• Ideology of war- who is hero and his status in society

• Armaments / Armies / War preparations / Military industry

• Disregard for human rights (people living in fear)

• Profiting from the exploitation of people and nature within and/or between countries (greed)

• Male domination and power / Patriarchy

Specifics of military culture and traditions in Kazakh society

1. War was integral part of life in all spheres

2. All life of society was subject to war- itself and preparations- nomadic lifestyle

3. Ideal for leader, man and society – warrior and war-like, victorious

4. Violence- norm for settlement of disputes in all spheres at all levels

5. Economic system was based on struggle for survival with nature and other peoples

6. Social and political life- competition, major augment- power, and mostly military or physical.

Historical legacy

1)Turkic; 2)Mongol; 3)Islamic- war for religion, and designation for the opponent- Muslim, bad Muslim or infidel; 4)Russian; 5)Soviet; 6)Post-1991- soviet legacy, Kazakhstani patriotism and international commitments – CIS and SCO security structures, NATO, peacekeeping

Heroic epics

The Book of Qorqyt-ata (recorded in XIV century), Alpamys batyr (Turkic kaganat times), Er-Edige (collapse of the Golden Horde), Qoblandy batyr (Jungar wars), Er Targyn, Qambar batyr.

Specifics of heroic epic

1) historical narrative on events and peoples; 2) encyclopaedia of human life; 3) philosophy; 4) collection of myths and realities; 5) real historical figures were present- past and present in one- Edige; 6) universal characters typical for all Turkic peoples- Еr Кокshe — hero of Kyrgyz epic «Маnas» and Russian legends’ ethnic history of tribes and clans- «Qoblandy batyr». He was Kypshak and his tribesmen lived in the Arys river and Qaraspan mountains.

196 164 people from Kazakhstan took part in the war, 497 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the USSR. 700.000 people worked in the Labor Army (deported Koreans, Germans, Poles and others).

Heroes of GPW

• Nurken Abdirov (1919 - 1942), fighter pilot,

• Talgat Begeldinov (born 1922), fighter pilot, Manshuk Mametova (1922 - 1943), machine gunner, Alia Moldagulova (1925 - 1944), sniper,

• Baurzhan Momyshuly (1910 - 1982), writer,

• Rakhimzhan Qoshqarbaev (born 1924), first soldier to raise the Soviet Flag over the Reichstagichstag in Berlin

Building the new national soldier

1. the role of national epic heroes in building the national soldier

2. new officer: a sociological portrait- The renewal of military elites, r sociological composition, changes in recruitment and evaluation systems and in career profiles.

3. changes in the ethnic composition of the armed forces of Kazakhstan -to the massive departure of Russian officers (who returned mainly to Russia and the Ukraine).

4. Professional military staff preparation and training : the training of a specialist corps whose members are recruited among a population with a low level of instruction and which was not allowed to occupy positions of responsibility during under the Soviet regime.